Lakeside Foods began in 1887 in Manitowoc, when Albert Landreth, a seed grower from Pennsylvania, recognized Wisconsin's soil produced superior quality peas and began canning the vegetable out of the kitchen of a small hotel on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Pictured is Lakeside Foods product being sold at a local store in the 1930s.(Photo: Courtesy of Lakeside Foods)

Soon, the one-kitchen operation grew into Wisconsin’s first canning plant. A partnership with the University of Wisconsin’s College of Agriculture led to advancements in quality control, establishing Lakeside’s reputation as a leader in innovation.

In 1906, Landreth’s interests were sold to the Wisconsin Pea Canners Company, which in 1922, became the Lakeside Packing Company.

Today, the company known as Lakeside Foods has grown to 11 sites Belgium, Manitowoc, New Richmond, Poynette, Random Lake and Reedsburg, Wisconsin; and Brooten, Owatonna and Plainview, Minnesota.

The corporate office remains in Manitowoc.

Throughout its history, Lakeside has been known for its ability to produce, innovate and deliver quality products and service.

In the early 1900s, Lakeside tried a new approach to its operations by contracting with local farmers to grow its crops, a practice still used today to ensure quality and freshness.

Lakeside Foods harvesting peas.(Photo: Courtesy of Lakeside Foods)

The post-war decades saw innovations in automated farm equipment and commercial fertilizers, which the company leveraged to continuously improve production and product quality.

In the early 1980s, Lakeside entered the more complex frozen vegetable market to expand its growth potential.

Today, technology allows the company to can or freeze many of its crops in less than an hour from the time it arrives at a facility until it’s packaged for the consumer, ensuring products remain fresh and retain their nutrition value.

One thing that hasn’t changed is Lakeside Foods has used non-GMO seed for the vegetables it grows — corn, peas, green beans, beets and carrots — since 1887.

In 1942, Lakeside Foods could pack only some of its products in cans, as steel and tin were reserved for use in armaments. This photograph shows a glass jar production line at the Manitowoc plant.(Photo: Courtesy of Lakeside Foods)

Originally sold as a consumer brand, Lakeside changed its marketing approach to private-label production during the 1950s, marketing its products under the customer’s label. Since then, the company has continued to expand in the retail (grocery) and food service (restaurants and institutional foods) businesses and continues to diversify into other sectors with partnerships producing whipped topping and pet foods.

Lakeside is also known for contributing in the communities in which it operates. In 1944, Lakeside was the recipient of the War Food Administration’s “A” award, which recognized the company’s contribution to the war effort. Canning product in glass jars to conserve tin, the company reserved up to 60 percent of its packed product to be shipped overseas for the armed forces.

Lakeside Foods semi truck.(Photo: Courtesy of Lakeside Foods)

Today, Lakeside is a contributor to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. The company distributes an average of 50,000 pounds of food per day to a network of 1,100 partner programs, including food pantries, meal programs and shelters in 36 counties in the eastern half of the state.

When joining Lakeside in 2016, President & CEO Glen Tellock noted two reasons he agreed to the opportunity. First, he noted Lakeside’s industry brand of quality, service and community involvement. Second, he said, was the confidence he had in Lakeside’s people, culture and core capabilities to support future growth.

Glen Tellock(Photo: Courtesy Lakeside Foods)

“Lakeside has a strong reputation in our industry and communities because of the employees who have built a culture focused on quality, collaboration and service as a way of living and working," Tellock said. "There are many organizations today that work to make a difference. I am proud to be a part of Lakeside because they definitely have made a difference over the past 130 years.”